Our organic selections on our website are Certified Organic. Simply put, this means we know their origin, how it was farmed, how it was handled and how it got to you. We are strong advocates and champions of organic and biodynamic tea farming and have more than a passing interest in it. Makaibari Estate in Darjeeling is featured prominently in our website because it was founded by Rajah Banerjee, a family member. Not only is Makaibari the oldest garden in Darjeeling district (established in 1859), it pioneered biodynamic tea farming and was certified biodynamic (the most stringent form of organic farming) in the early 1990s.
We know the difficulties of organic farming and the care that accompanies it. You should beware of any tea company that claims that pesticides are not used in tea farming and that, therefore, all tea is "organic". This is absolutely false. Like all agricultural crops, tea is farmed all over the world using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Only a few tea estates around the world have made the daunting commitment to farm organically and to be inspected annually by independent certifying bodies to maintain their organic status. We salute all those gardens and are proud to carry their teas. We are especially proud of our Makaibari selections – they are the freshest, most seasonal teas we can offer and the purest in the world. Some are air freighted within a few weeks of their manufacture and each lot has been specially sampled and selected for your enjoyment.
Look for the Organic icon throughout our site to view our Organic Teas. Our organic certification is specifically for the teas on our website.
Try all our Organic selections - they are not just good for the earth and good for you but also taste great!